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Dear ECRA fellows,
This edition of the ECRA Science Briefs informs you about latest news from Brussels!
This includes highlights of climate research, provides news from the European stage as well as internal information from ECRA and its Collaborative Programmes and upcoming events organized or joined by ECRA.
Best wishes from Brussels,
Tina Swierczynski and Uta Klönne
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| Newsletter 03 | 2015 |
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New Journal "Climate Services"
This new publication aims to bring together climate research and application. Its goal is to provide information on the climate, climate change and impacts as well as mitigation and adaptation strategies specifically tailored to climate service users such as economic, scientific, administrative and political bodies. Manuscript submission is now open.
Further information
Conference Outcome “Our Common Future under climate Change”, 7-10 July 2015, Paris
Over 2200 people (scientists, policy makers etc.) participated in the pre-COP21 conference 7-10 July 2015, in Paris. This scientific conference prepared the Climate Conference COP 21 in December 2015 by gathering scientific results and providing recommendations for political action (e.g. mitigation and adaptation options). Outcome statements, videos, pictures and presentations are available.
Further information
arctic
Increase of Arctic sea ice volume in 2013
While the extent of Arctic sea ice has been documented to decline since the 1970s, quantifying trends in its volume is more difficult. Now, using CryoSat-2 measurements, researchers at the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), UK find that sea ice thickness and volume increased in autumn 2013 and 2014, offsetting the losses of the 2010-2012 period. This was caused by a reduction in the number of melting days. Even though this is a short-term fluctuation during a long-term trend of decreasing ice, it shows that Arctic sea ice may recover more quickly than previously thought.
Read the article
high impact events
A different framing for the attribution of climate extreme events
While the attribution of extreme events is desirable, it often focuses on either anthropogenic or natural causes, and further struggles with dynamically driven extremes. Thus, this study suggest an attribution framework that asks why an extreme event unfolds the way it does and whether known changes in the thermodynamic state of the climate system affect the impact of that extreme. The specific events that were studied (e.g. superstorm Sandy in 2012) were all influenced by high sea surface temperatures, which in turn had human causes.
Read the article
sea level
Modelling the vulnerability of coastal environments to sea level rise
Sea level rise threatens coastal habitats through erosion, salt water intrusion and flooding. Systems that identify and reduce risks are therefore crucial. The authors of this study developed a ranking system that models vulnerability to sea level rise as a function of six input parameters defined by wetland experts. They applied this model under RCP8.5 sea level projections. Like this, areas of high vulnerability and hence priority areas for future management efforts can be identified.
Read the article
hydrological cycles
Evaluation of regional reanalyses and downscalings for precipitation in the Alps
This study examines how several European-scale regional reanalyses and downscaling datasets represent the characteristics of precipitation in the complex topography of the Alpine region. Using high resolution rain-gauge observations as a reference, the researchers at MeteoSwiss find that, among others, the new regional reanalyses show richer spatial variations than the global reanalysis (ERA-Interim) but that they also show biases and shifts in regional anomalies. The accuracy of datasets furthermore depends on the density of station time series.
Read the article
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dg climate action
Proposal to revise EU Emissions Trading System (ETS)
The European Commission presented a legislative proposal to revise the EU ETS for the period after 2020 in line with the 2030 climate and energy policy framework. This will contribute to the target of reducing European emissions by 40% by 2030 and is part of the EU’s contribution to the new climate deal to be adopted in Paris later this year. Yet, a point of criticism is that the proposal does not sufficiently address issues of oversupply of permits and permit distribution.
Read the press release
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AtlantOS research project to advance Atlantic ocean research kicks off
The Horizon 2020 project “Optimizing and Enhancing the Integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System” had its kick-off meeting in June. Over the course of the next four years, 62 partners from 18 countries will work towards making existing observation systems more integrated, effective and sustainable. The €21 million project is coordinated by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany.
Project website
European Research Council (ERC) announces 2016 budget and grants
The European Commission in July adopted the ERC Work Programme 2016 which foresees €1.67 billion for grants to top researchers in the world across all scientific fields. The first of three funding schemes, ERC Starting Grants for researchers with 2-7 years of experience, has opened with a deadline in November. The Consolidator and the Advanced Grants will open in October 2015 and May 2016, respectively. Also, there are a few novelties as compared to last year.
Information on funding schemes
Information Day: Horizon 2020 SC5-2016 calls: Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials
The Information Day is on 21st September 2015, Brussels (Albert Borschette Conference Centre, Rue Froissart 36). It will focus on the upcoming calls for proposals under Horizon 2020's Societal Challenge "Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials" and related call topics in the “Blue Growth - Demonstrating an Ocean of Opportunities”, “Industry 2020 in the Circular Economy” and "Smart and Sustainable Cities" focus areas. All sessions will be webstreamed and you are welcome to submit your questions via Twitter under #H2020SC5.
More information
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RECREATE 2nd Strategic Workshop | 23-24 September 2015 | Brussels, Belgium
This workshop on RECREATE (REsearch network for forward looking activities and assessment of research and innovation prospects in the fields of Climate, Resource Efficiency and raw mATErials) brings together stakeholders to discuss policy needs, funding priorities and the development of Horizon 2020. Furthermore there will be keynotes from DG RTD and the European Parliament as well as a poster session. Registration is now open.
Further information
Workshop on biodiversity and nature-based solutions | 29-30 September 2015 | Brussels, Belgium
KoWi, the European Liaison Office of German Research Organisations, hosts this workshop on “Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation in the EU: finding solutions through linking biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development”, with a focus on urban areas. It will discuss the funding topics in Horizon 2020 and EU research and policy activities.
Registration is open until 30 August.
Further information
Fourth Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI) Workshop | 7-9 October 2015 | Rome, Italy
The CCMI Project investigates stratospheric and tropospheric composition and chemistry and aims to understand their historical and projected evolution. The workshop will bring together a range of researchers, including modellers, observationalists and data analysts, to discuss topics such as model improvement, evaluation of simulations and projections of air quality and the ozone layer.
Further information
Conference "Earth Observation for Water Cycle Science 2015" | 20-23 October 2015 | ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy
The conference, co-organised by ESA and GEWEX, has the purpose to review our knowledge on the water cycle science, to advocate for the development of robust satellite geo-information data products, and to foster the improvement of models and data assimilation systems. Registration is open until September 2015.
Further information
Arctic CORDEX Meeting | 26-28 October 2015 | Potsdam, Germany
The next Arctic CORDEX Meeting will take place at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Germany and will discuss the first results from Arctic CORDEX ensemble simulations. One focus is the presentation and discussion of results from hindcast simulations driven by Era-Interim data.
Further information
Polar Prediction School | 5-15 April 2016 | Abisko, Sweden
This WWRP/WCRP/Bolin Centre School on Polar Prediction will provide training for 30 post graduate and early career post-doctoral polar scientists, focusing on topics such as: polar mesoscale atmospheric processes; sea ice prediction, near term ensemble prediction, and seasonal-to-decadal climate variability and prediction in the polar regions. The program will combine lectures on key areas relevant for polar prediction and a number of field observation and modelling exercises to foster an interactive learning environment.
Further information
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Researcher position in sea level model analysis
There is a vacancy for a researcher position at Geophysical Institute within sea level model analysis. The position is for a period of 2 years, starting on 1 January 2016.
The position is funded by the Centre for Climate Dynamics at the Bjerknes Centre, through a grant to the research project Northern European and Arctic Sea Level – iNcREASE. The project aims at improving projections of sea level in the North Sea, Norwegian, and Arctic coastal regions.
Further information
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ECRA CP Hydrological Cycle presentation at Conference "Earth Observation for Water Cycle Science 2015" | 20-23 October 2015 | ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy
ECRA's Collaborative Programme Hydrological Cycles will give a presentation at this year’s conference.
Further information on the conference
Joint Workshop of CP HIE Events and CP Hydrological Cycle | 3-4 November 2015 | Munich, Germany
Save the date - Details will follow soon.
ECRA Side event at Conference "ICRC:CORDEX 2016" | 17-20 May 2016 | Stockholm, Sweden
At next year’s International Conference on Regional Climate ECRA will host a side event on “Extreme events in a changing climate - Challenges and perspectives in hydro-meteorological modelling”. It will take place on 18 May from 17.00-18:30 pm. It will discuss the gap between global scale climate system modelling to high resolution hydrological modelling to the required high resolution hydrological modelling for impact assessments on regional and local scales. It will furthermore address the challenges of bringing the model data to the user community. The side event aims to bring together researchers, policymakers and data users.
Further information
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feedback and contact
European Climate Research Alliance
Rue du Trône 98
1050 Brussels, Belgium
Phone: +32 2 5000 983
Fax: +32 2 5000 980
Email: info[at]ecra-climate.eu
www.ecra-climate.eu
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